Games, sports and other similar activities aren't just a fun way to kill time, or just something you do in your spare time. Many such activities become part of people's lives and become integral parts of their lives. Few leisure activities have shaped British society like football and bingo. Both society and the activities themselves have changed over the years, but we're going to have a look at exactly how football and bingo have changed over the years and what the future holds.
How technology changed football – the commercialisation of the Premier League
Firstly, football, or the specific type of football that's our main topic – non-league football. As you already know, we're quite passionate when it comes to it and we hold the view that non-league football is the real deal. That is not to say that we hate the Premier League, but we simply choose to focus on non-league football. There are numerous papers and sites that are dedicated to the Premier League, the Championship and the lower divisions of league football, but here you won't find articles on transfers worth tens and even hundreds of millions, or stars who spend tens of thousands on a night out.
Back in the old days, the difference between non-league football and the lower-league divisions, but even the Premier League were a lot less stark. Many say that the technological developments changed the game, and there is some truth to it. First came live matches via the telly. People all over the country could watch their favourite teams and pretty much all teams in the comfort of their homes, it was no longer necessary to travel, often halfway across the country, pay for tickets, etc. While the experience of watching a game at a stadium can hardly be compared to the experience of watching it on a screen, it still changed the way we watch football and it changed football.
Television rights meant a lot more money for clubs and then there was international coverage. The Premier League stopped to be just a English thing, it became a global phenomenon with viewers and fans from all over the world.
Then came the internet and its widespread use and coverage helped introduce the Premier League to even more fans from all corners of the world. The value of broadcasting rights has been growing over the years and latest reports show that the value reached staggering £4.35 billion.
Is it all bad for Non-League football?
And while technology enabled the Premier League to distinguish itself and establish its reputation globally, it doesn't mean that its influence on non-league football is negative, or that it is exclusively negative. Namely, the internet enables non-league football fans like you to keep track of what is going on in their favourite league or leagues, to meet other like-minded fans and a lot more.
In addition, the internet access also gives non-league clubs and club owners a chance to stay in touch with everything that is going. Social media are particularly useful and clubs can keep in touch with their fanbase. Even if you're a non-league club, you can gain a lot of attention if you post interesting and amusing videos and images with funny captions. Some non-league clubs gained popularity precisely because of their funny social media posts.
Bingo goes online – a curious case
Similar was the effect of the internet and technology on another popular British tradition and pastime – bingo.
In the old days, there was just one way to enjoy a game of bingo with mates, or to meet new friends – to visit the local bingo hall, buy a ticket, or a full strip of tickets and wait for the game to begin. Then it was all about listening to the caller and checking if the drawn numbers are on your ticket(s).
Nowadays, there's another option, you can register with a site and play bingo games online. At first many feared that online bingo will not keep the spirit of the game and would actually kill bingo, but now we can safely say that the internet saved the game of bingo.
Many people who weren't previously interested in bingo and haven't visited a bingo hall, decided to give online bingo a go and in turn this motivated traditional bingo venues to be more creative. As a result, the number of bingo halls has decreased, but many non-traditional venues appeared where you can play all sorts of quirky bingo games, often combined with other activities such as clubbing and dancing.
